Consortium Updates

August 18, 2025 Updates

Good morning!

In case you missed the conference on Friday, here are all the announcements and updates mentioned that day. It’s a long one but has so much important information. Take breaks as needed!  

LibraryIQ

The Executive Committee had a hard conversation about next year’s Evergreen Indiana budget. As part of the process of working on the budget, I sat down with ISL admin to talk about where our budget needs to pick up the slack, with ISL’s funding situation. The committee evaluated our electronic resources and voted to not renew our LibraryIQ subscription, with the request that I reach out to the company to see if they can offer libraries a discount if they’d like to continue the subscription themselves. I’ll start working on that this week. Our subscription goes until December 31st, so you’ll have access until then. The money saved with this subscription will go towards current Evergreen Indiana staff.

Upgrade

This year, our annual upgrade will be December 6th and 7th. THE SERVER WILL BE COMPLETELY DOWN DURING THIS TIME. Once the update has been completed and is stable, Jeremy will send a message to the Support listserv, then you will be able to log back in. Offline mode, or alternative methods of circulation tracking will need to be used by those who remain open during this time. Here’s what’s coming:

  • Dark mode
  • Updated record bucket interface
  • Updated standalone holding template editor with notes/alerts fixes
  • Fixes to the new reporter module so we can start using it more
  • Initial RESTful API for easier connections between us and third-party software
  • New accessibility fixes in the classic catalog and other areas of the web client

New features webinars will be scheduled before the upgrade, more info coming soon.

Server Move

I’ve mentioned this a few times over the last year, but it looks like we’re getting closer to our server move. We’ll be going from server storage at an off-site facility to IOT hosting our servers on the government campus. Since the servers will have to be physically moved from one data center to another, we will be down while that happens. I’ve requested they let us know as soon as they possibly can so we can get that information to you early, and you can plan for the outage.

Strategic Plan

The strategic plan process is wrapping up. It’s been a rather lengthy process, starting all the way back in early 2024 with Ruth Frasur Davis and a steering committee made up of various committee members including: Cheryl Dobbs (DANVL), Brandy Graves (SHLBY), Nick Philip (PLAIN), Monica Riley (JCKSN), Jayanne Rumple (MTZMA), and Nick Stephan (GRRTT). Four different surveys were sent out to stakeholders: library staff, library administration, library boards, and committee members. The surveys were open between September 18th, 2024 – October 25th, 2024. This was your opportunity to give us your thoughts, the good, the bad, and the ugly! We also sent a survey out to non-member libraries. Then, earlier this year, our consultant, Carson Block, visited ISL for in-person meetings with various library staff including the Evergreen admin team, ISL admin, and other staff members. They used all this feedback to create our strategic directions. Our four main goals are:

  • Enhance Communication and Transparency
  • Strengthen Member Library Partnerships and Support
  • Ensure Core Service Sustainability and Efficiency
  • Demonstrate Value and Prepare for the Future

The full five-year plan will be released soon. I’ll send it out to membership as soon as it’s ready.

Aspen App

Starting in late September, we’ll be working with Equinox Open Library Initiative to set up an Aspen App for Evergreen Indiana! It will take at least a month from start to finish, but we’ll have trainings soon after launch. The app will be set up for general use for all member libraries, but libraries will have the option to purchase a branded version if they wish to do so. Before the project begins, we need to figure out a name. Because we already have the Evergreen Indiana app for the classic catalog, we will need to call it something different, and we need your help! In September, we will send out a survey with some name options for you to vote on. The one with the most votes will be used for the app.

Migrations Update

The admin team has been busy working on migrating new members into the consortium. We’re currently working on Brook Iroquois Washington Township Public Library and Jasonville Public library. Brook will go live on September 3rd and Jasonville on October 1st. When we’re done with Brook, we’ll start working on the Delphi Public Library migrations. We currently have 11 libraries in line to migrate:

  • Brook Iroquois Washington Township Public Library
  • Jasonville Public Library
  • Delphi Public Library
  • Crawfordsville Public Library
  • Edinburgh Wright-Hageman Public Library
  • Jasper County Public Library
  • Wells County Public Library
  • Remington Public Library
  • Jeffersonville Township Public Library
  • Harrison County Public Library
  • Farmland Public Library

Two of these libraries are cataloging their collection into the database. Edinburgh has already had two cataloging parties with two more scheduled in the future. Remington will be training on copy cataloging at the end of the month, then they will start having cataloging parties. If you love to copy catalog, and want to help a future member library, we’ll have lots of opportunities to do so!

Data migrations take about six months to complete, so these migrations will likely take place into 2029. We want to thank everyone for being patient with the Evergreen admin team as we take these on, as we might be a little slower with tickets or returned emails and phone calls.

Cataloging Party!

Speaking of cataloging parties, we have two back-to-back parties scheduled on September 11th and 12th for the Edinburgh Wright-Hageman Public Library. If you wish to attend, please RSVP via this form. You do not have to attend the entire six hours or attend both days. Original cataloging may occur!

Patron Services Committee Updates

PSC met during the conference and made the following changes:

  • The committee voted to change the name of the student card type to educational. Implementation of this change is pending as other card types are researched. They’d also like to learn more about what member libraries are using the Computer Use patron type for. A survey is forthcoming.
  • Updated Circ2 permissions to allow adding and editing item alerts and updating the pickup library from transit.
  • Later in the year, the committee will start investigating ways to partner with schools using the student/educational card.

 

Gale Legal Forms Reminder

Just a reminder that the EC voted to not renew our Gale Legal Forms subscription. Your patrons will still have access through this month.

Evergreen Indiana Payment Program

Reminder: If you collect money on behalf of another Evergreen Indiana Library, you will be billed quarterly for those funds. Invoices can be found under the payment reconciliation reports link on the splash page. I will also try to send that invoice via email. Please make sure you’re paying these invoices within 35 days. The other libraries in the consortium who have money coming to them won’t get their distribution until everyone has paid their invoice. If there is no invoice listed for your library, you don’t owe any money that quarter.

Unofficial DVDs

Please be very careful when you’re buying DVDs for the collection. We’ve had several unofficial items show up in the catalog. These are shows and movies that have only been made available on streaming services with no plan to be distributed in physical format. These items are usually purchased on Amazon or Walmart.com from a third-party vendor that look legitimate but isn’t. After consulting with ISL’s general counsel, as we find these items in the catalog, Cataloging Committee Chair, Monica Riley, will reach out and let the cataloging contact at your library know. Please remove these items if Monica contacts you.

Refreshers

Local Admin and Cat1 refreshers are coming in November. All Local Admins and Cat1s will need to take the refresher to keep their profile type. More information coming.   Let me know if you have any questions!